Reviews

2/13/2018If people cared, this could be a decent place
This review is more for New Kingman/Butler, but since they're both considered Kingman by the post office and realtors, I'm posting this here. Anyway, some points go for both neighboring areas.

I've lived here over three years, and this is what I've observed. The area is pretty scenic, surrounded by beautiful mountains in all directions, and some home areas are even nice. The utility prices are fair and the internet is fast, but just a bit pricey. The shopping in Kingman is decent, but not what you'll experience in big cities, and the healthcare is alright. Much of the area consists of mobile homes, which are inexpensive and decent homes. But you must take care of them, like anything else. That's the problem. A good percentage of them are SEVERELY run down and/or abandoned. Many of them are rentals. A large percentage of the landlords don't seem to care AT ALL how the area looks, their renters living in complete squalor, which lowers the value of the surrounding properties. The tenants also don't care, some having mountains of trash in their yards.

The crime isn't bad here, but what is, is THE DOGS. There are more dogs than people here, and they are OFTEN running loose in the streets. I've twice seen children attacked by loose dogs, and have been personally charged around ten times by aggressive canines. Recently, a neighbor's dog jumped a fence between properties, and try to chase my 74 year old mother in her own yard. It's unlike anything I've ever seen in all the places I've lived in my life. People don't care AT ALL. It's like they think it's normal to have their raging dogs charge at you. So yeah, the horrible decay of the homes and the loose dogs are a total deal breaker.

1/29/2018Cheap Property Tax but that's about it !!!!!!!!!!
We moved to Kingman a while back and we really didn't do our homework, our bad. We read all we could but should have rented before we purchased a home for a permanent move to Kingman. Like the headline says "Cheap Property Tax" but all of Mohave County is reasonable. Kingman has an almost 9.5% sales tax rate, is very dirty and gritty with indigent people begging (sometimes aggressively) on street corners, parking lots and parks. There are no major retailers in Kingman with large outlets except Wal-Mart and Home Depot. Want to go to Target, Kohl’s, BestBuy, Lowes, Hobby Lobby, Dillard’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Trader Joes or anywhere else with a selection you’re going to travel to Lake Havasu, Bullhead City, Henderson NV or Phoenix
I have to compliment the City of Kingman Police / Fire Depts, Kingman Parks & Recreation and Kingman Municipal Depts as they all do a wonderful job! The Kingman Airport is just a decaying industrial complex with the most horrid of roads and not one commercial airline scheduled flight (apparently it was an airport in WWII so they still call it an “Airport”) so again you need to travel to 2hrs to Las Vegas or 3hrs to Phoenix to catch a flight or pick up family coming to visit. The medical has an extremely low Doctor to patient ratio that leads to a 90+ day wait for an appointment. The KRMC Hospital is good, especially the ER but if you need a specific specialist you’ll be traveling to Las Vegas or Phoenix. Unfortunately we didn’t check out our builder either, Gates Homes owned by Mike and Monica Gates (the current Kingman Mayor) of the new home we purchased and the house literally fell down around us costing us many thousands in out of pocket in mechanical and constant miscellaneous repairs.
In closing I will say the climate is quite enjoyable and if having to drive an 1-3 hours to get anywhere works for you, then have at it :-)

10/1/2017Beautiful weather and scenery.
I have enjoyed living here. Coming from the Midwest I love the sunshine and overall weather. We have met a lot of people from different states and some who have lived here all of their lives. Nice family and working class people for the most part. So many things to do and see right here in Kingman or a short scenic drive.We have lived here for a year. Coming from the Midwest we have found the weather to be wonderful.Many chain restaurants like Cracker barrel, Chili's, Golden Corral, Etc, along with many "mom and pop" places. We have also enjoyed the many activities Kingman and nearby towns have to offer. Fireworks on Memorial day on the river in Laughlin, fireworks in Kingman and Laughlin on the 4th, Keepers of the wild, Andy Devine days Rodeo, Andy Devine days,where we enjoyed a wonderful parade, car show and Historic Rt 66 presentation at the Kingman Museum. Many antique stores and quaint shops and restaurants downtown. Nothing to do? Really? Chillin on Beale which is FREE Cruise-In, Block Party and Movie night! Come and enjoy Classic Cars, music and a free movie. Free Movie night inside of Beale Celebrations,15 minutes up to the Hualapai mountains where you can enjoy cooler temps, hiking, picnic, and the beauty of the pine trees, and wildlife, Alpaca farm days, Farmers market on Saturdays, Mohave museum of History and Art, Craft shows in the Hualapai Mountains, Hiking, Veteran's day parade, Brews and brats Oktoberfest,RT 66 cruizers Halloween bash, 14 public parks, 2 public pools, 2 golf courses, The Kathryn Heidenreich Adult Center with MANY activities, Desert Diamond Distillery, Cella Winery, Diana's Cellar door, PLUS MANY activities in Laughlin, Lake Havasu,Oatman, Chloride, Grand Canyon West, and Bullhead city. Great to be able to sit outside without mosquitos, walk in the neighborhood and meet other neighbors. Kingman is a great place to live.

1/4/2017Not perfect but I like it
We moved here last spring after living in San Bernardino Ca for over 30 years. I watched our lovely neighborhood nestled in the shadow of the mountains turn from suburban farms to ghetto/slum. As the city went bankrupt gangs moved in. Shootings, assaults, burglary were constant and when it became a sanctuary city it became very dangerous for seniors in iffy health to stay. For every wonderful family thrilled at the chance of a new life there came the criminals to take advantage of lax law enforcement. I was blessed with a few wonderful neighbors, I was cursed with an abundance of nightmare neighbors.
Is Kingman perfect, no but--- I am not afraid. I can sit in my yard at night and see stars and not be afraid of being robbed or worse. I can go to the desert and target shoot and not be treated like a gun crazy maniac. I can say merry Christmas without offending any one. The desert and mountains are heartbreaking beautiful. There is not much in the way of shopping etc. here but there is history in our rte. 66 and a unbelievably sweet old timey small time feel to the town I cherish. The people are colorful, down to earth and a pure delight. okay, I prefer real people to the cartoon characters I used to live among. I have fallen in love with Kingman and it's people. It may not be perfect but it is perfect enough for me. If you are tired of pretentious phonies Kingman is a breath of fresh air. Cost of living is sane, it is safe to be politically conservative, patriotic and Christian. It is my chosen home, It will never be featured in any magazine articles featuring luxury homes and a luxurious lifestyle. Thank God. It is down home good people who love family, God and country. Yes there is poverty and drugs and imperfections but the good far outweighs the bad. It is my forever home, I have never been happier.

9/1/2016Living in Kingman
Absolutely the worst place to live. The health care is nothing more than a greed corporation as there is one hospital here and they run every aspect of your health care(a misnomer if there ever was one)6 pap smears 4 mammograms and a lot of fear and anxiety later I went to another DR.in another state and have since refused to go to any DR. or facility here that is associated with KRMC and they all are because I found out that my pap and mammo came back normal and have since gotten them elsewhere.The air quality is horrible because this place is surrounded by mine's(copper etc.) and when the wind blow's which it does frequently those chemicals are what you are breathing and NO oversite on air or water quality or little. Because they (corrupt)politicians are letting hay farm's come in they are using up all of the ground water it is estimated that this place will run out of water in 2-3 year's. Education is a joke they rank at the bottom.Hot,dry and absolutely nothing to do here unless you travel for 4-5 hours. Do extensive checking before you move try to get past the" small town,route66,cheap"hype and dig deep. If you are on S.S or have children you better be prepared for nothing for your children to do and for seniors be prepared for high medical,rent and groceries. I have nothing good to say about this place so I am moving ASP.Corruption,greed,and everything bad including high drug abuse.

11/13/2015Arm pit
I moved out of California to get away from the over taxing, over regulations and the blatant attempt of the liberals in Commiefornia to take away my second amendment rights. I invested all my money in land and houses in this country, not knowing that it was being run by idiots. Since I bought my properties the property tax has increased by 300%. Now they don't even let the property owners appeal their assessed taxes. A large corporation has started farming large areas of this desert, they are growing alfalfa of all things. They are in the process of depleting our finite aquifer without a peep from the idiots in charge.

WARNING TO ALL, KINGMAN IS A DYING CITY AND MOHAVE COUNTY IS RUN BY IDIOTS "DON"T MOVE HERE!!!!".

12/6/2014Kingman-Mohave County Neighborhoods Left To Decay
First, I'd like to address the comment about Arizona being populated by 'gun-toters' in tank tops, shorts and being 'yahoos'. That was gross negligence on the part of someone who listed his credentials as a professional and untrue. Another Democrat who has located to a Red state to take advantage of our beautiful areas, but slams its populace at the same time.

Now, on to my review:

I live in Kingman-Mohave County. This means that neither the police, county inspectors, environmental health officers, or, animal control give one whit about its residents. Not one. The town tax collectors are on the ball, though..

Our neighborhood began in the 1980s as a retirement area of elderly who bought quality mobile homes for their day and lived quite nicely - clean yards, gardens, etc.

Today, as these people are dying off, many of these homes are slumlord owned. There are broken fences, garbage in the yards and people keep dogs outside - hot weather, freezing weather, starving, many times. Also, these poor creatures do what they do when left alone and ignored - bark constantly. I was told by one AC officer that dogs can go 'a few days without food'. Maybe so, but this guy hadn't missed any meals, trust me. Many people have three plus dogs, which, requires kennel licensing. I vote every cycle to defund the AC - they are useless.

Tenants are allowing other people to live on the rental properties in campers - completely against county regulations. But if no one submits a complaint, who cares? There are homes with several junked cars. No one cares.

The town of Kingman is ok, enough. Some nice parks and a very fine little library. There is, however, next to no entertainment, unless, you bowl or enjoy biker bars. There are only two restaurants I might recommend for dinner and one of these is Chilis.

Kingman Regional Hospital has fine doctors and I have received very good care with them. No complaints at all.

As soon as my husband and I can get the county to force the slumlord who owns the dump across from our home to clean it up, we're selling.

I do not recommend Kingman AZ, either city or county areas, for a move.

11/19/2014In response to those who've speculated about Kingm
I have been a resident of the general Mohave County area for about 21 years total. A resident of Kingman about 8 of those. You may remember the Nat King Cole song "GET YOUR KICKS ON RT. 66"? Then you'll likely remember the line in the song, "Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino"?
The majority of my time here, I've been a radio and television personality, reporter, news director/anchor. It was supposed to be a transitional move, but as is often the case, life kept happening. I've lived in Bullhead City, in the lower desert where it averages 112 degrees in the summer. That's the average, Boys and Girls! I've lived here in Kingman for about 8 of those 21 years. I have seen summers in Kingman as hot as 121, and winters as cold as 8 below. And the wind reports are true, but I kind of like that, so...
What I know, I know from an insider's view. My position and popularity afforded me access and info others wouldn't normally encounter. These communities have to be the least professional, most corrupt governmentally, in law enforcement, etc. Business is almost dared to make a go at it. There have been perfectly wonderful opportunities come our way as new businesses have tried to move to Kingman, Bullhead and Lake Havasu. They are all three small minded, extreme right wing, under-informed and poorly educated. That sums up most of the government, law enforcement and citizenry here, make sure to add greed.
We have a thriving Skin Head movement, as well as our share of militia minded zealots. And they are fully armed! And those guns on the hip? Arizona has the most liberal gun laws and the most conservative social ideals IN THIS COUNTRY! Not Alabama? No, Arizona! These gun toters aren't common folks who happen to feel the need to take advantage of a law that they treat with respect. These are slack jawed yahoos, tank top, shorts, flip flops and that big ol gun pokin out from under a big ol belly! Typically.
The area is highly transient, so making and keeping friends, fjnding people of substance and intellect is just about impossible. Mohave County is the second worst rated school system in the country, right behind the first worst rated school system in the country, also in Arizona! Apache County to the East, where another song made the place famous. "I was standin on a corner in Winslow, Arizona..."
When my son was 9, and I was a popular, well known local news guy, I got a call from his school. The principal told me that there was trouble and I needed to put several fires on the back burner and go talk to her. I had news to get out in just a couple of hours! I did not have time for what had transpired! When I arrived to the school, I encountered my Son in the outer office, and a sheriff's deputy in the principals inner office. My EX wife was there in her Mohave County Sheriffs Dpt. Correctional Officers Uniform. She worked in the county jail in Kingman. This instance happened in Bullhead City, where we lived at the time.
I was told that my Son had uttered the word "Kill" on school property. That it was a class 6 felony, and that this cop was "mulling it over in his mind" to take my Son to JAIL! Before I got there, this cop put his face into my Son's and said; "I could throw you on the floor, hand cuff you and take you to jail and there's not one thing your Daddy could do to help you." Naturally, my Son was terrified and confused. My, again EX wife suggested it might be a good learning experience for him! A nine year old in a County Adult Jail! Thats what they were talking over before I got there! They were thinking it would be a really successful Scared Straight kind of deal!
Here's how the big scene went down. My Son and another kid were in line for lunch. My Son was playing with a Pokemon figurine, dancing it around the kid in front of him. Not being annoying, they were both playing. Then my Son said a phrase apparently often used in the cartoon; "Stop! Or next I kill!" The other kid said, "Hey! You could get into a lot of trouble for saying that!" Then the little bastard told a teacher.
This wasn't long after the Columbine massacre, and this stupid law was passed, out of panic. Fortunately, I was friends with the judge who would have heard this case. She called me and told me she was throwing it all out. Still, my Son was expelled! He had a whole lot of school related issues for the rest of his school career. And for the rest of his school career he had multiple problems with trust and motivation, self esteem. They "Broke" him! Go figure!
There are no star filled nights! You wont be able to see meteor showers, or even find more that two or three constellations! Not unless you drive to Prescott and then go another hundred miles East! Las Vegas is 95 miles, due West. And the light from there is clearly visible from Kingman. That and the lights of the casinos of Laughlin, NV and the other communities of the Colorado River keep the stars much less visible than described by another person commenting here.
I am now disabled, suffering from MS, Fibromyalgia and RA. I'm ineligible for insurance that I would qualify for easily most anywhere else in the country, because of that greed I spoke of. This time the greed comes from the people who run the state. This past year, there were nine people in an organ recipient list. That nasty Hag Governor if ours, Jan Brewer (funny, my EX wife is named Jan) stopped two of those terminally ill people from receiving organs that could have been available, in order to appease some cronies. Those two people died.
Arizona in general, except for Tucson and Flagstaff, is so Tea Party minded and so extremely to the Right, that we don't have the services we need. No one in government will spend a dime on anyone other than themselves. You get the idea. I will say that the town is friendly to tourists.
Now... If I have offended you while you've been reading this, then you probably belong here! As for my beloved 23 year old Son and me? I think we will be moving to Oregon.

2/25/2013Kingman is a great place to live IF..........
Kingman is a great place to live "IF" you like majestic sunsets and sunrises, enjoy night skies full of bright stars (with zero light pollution) IF you like hiking and camping, jet skiing and small towns... if you enjoy being outdoors then YES this is the place for you!! If you can take the time to enjoy the small splendors that big cities don't offer and really see what Kingman has rather than what it doesn’t you will be surprised how much you would love the town. I have lived in Kingman six years, I have two children and I am 35 I love living here, I like the fact that I don't have to drive through congestion to get to work, people wave at you rather than flip you off and honk your horn, everyone knows you.. And that isn't always a bad thing!!

Drugs… hmm where aren't they, and NO it doesn’t run rapid here. The schools are decent, we could use more funding but they are good. And yes people do wear guns on there hips and yes you don' t have to have a concealed weapons permit (it’s the west and we are preserved in some ways, this is part of the charm). But we don't have gangs, we don't have school shootings or bank robberies kidnapping's and tons of car accidents caused by crazy traffic congestion. We are the west, we are a simple town with a lot to offer for the right person.

It is apparent that Kingman Arizona is not a big city!! We do not offer, opera and concerts and ballet are not part of our culture, so if this is your style then we are not for you. We are an outdoor community, and the hottest it gets in the summer is 109 or so.. That's not that bad, its dry I would rather that than snow. The winters are a windy, but again in my opinion better than snow! Kingman is growing, we do have people that don't want growth, but this is something that every small town has faced one time or another, (its called growing pains and we will get passed it) but then again we have people that have moved here that want to make a difference and growth is happening all around us. Maybe the people writing the negative things don't realize that because they are focused on what they DON'T have rather than what they do, you get what you expect, expect greatness!! . The people that will come to Kingman and succeed are people with big ideas and dreams that are willing to put in the time and effort to bring the community to its true potential. We have a lot of those people here already, we have investors from PX that are investing in restaurants in our little town.. We have amazing physicians that come from exceptional universities, we have Chipotle coming soon…(I'm hoping an investor will see this and bring a roller skating rink in town) :) consider this 8 years ago we didn’t have a home depot or a chills or a super wall-mart… now we do, might not be impressive to most, but 8 years isn't along time and we've grown a lot !! Kingman isn't bad, do your own research and consider the source people who aren't happy here, didn’t do there due diligence if they did they probably wouldn't have moved here.

1/10/2013my review
I have lived in two different states before I came here. If you are coming from a city with lots of department stores and things like that you are in for a culture shock! Most of the people that I have met are racist and mostly christain who are unwilling to accept any other religion. The way many people including myself put it is that the town itself is growing but the people are not. What i mean by that is that most of the population has grown up in this area and a lot of them are afraid of things they dont understand and not very welcome to any change. A lot of the population is also very poor. The main store here is walmart and if you want to get any grocery shopping done for any organic foods, get ready to pay.
On the environmental side it is a beautiful desert town with a lot of history. So if you can get over the fact that the overall population is racist, and stubborn its not so bad if you have to live here.

12/31/2012Retired here
I retired here in 2011 because the cost of living is low. If you are looking for culture, forget it. It is just a quiet place to live between trips to Flagstaff, laughlin, vegas, Phoenix, and the west coast. I got a 5 year old home 1800+SF for 110,000.

12/23/2012Kingman is an absolutely horrible place to live, P
I moved here 6 months ago, after doing, what I thought was thorough research; climate, etc. Now I have lived here long enough to know that there is a huge crime and drug problem, a lot of homeless people, probably a very corupt government, awful schools, lazy dirty people and a lot of people on welfare, food stamps - to be very honest, I can't think of any thing positive about this town. There is no employment ! ! Sorry, but I am only stating a truth and the facts. I would not even THINK of coming here to live.

2/23/2012Moving to Kingman
Here are somethings to consider about Kingman, Az. If you live on the east coast, stay home. There is nothing for you out west. There is more culture here than you think. But because it's different from what you are use to, it's wrong and it sucks. Not every state stays up all night. So you have to consider that. It is a small town, and that way for a reason. If you do not understand what a small town is then why move there.I am sure everyone would appreciate it if you didn't.And as for the bugs, guns, crime and homeless roaming about, where in the US can you go where you don't have to deal with that. So...if you are a spoiled little baby, please, do everyone a favor and don't move here.

2/14/2012DO NOT MOVE TO KINGMAN!
I don't care what the reason is! Don't move to Kingman! Being offered a new job making big money? Not worth it! Kingman should be rated the worst little town in the USA! It is a very dirty town with many unpaved roads and streets. One hospital in town. (The other one shut down). The one hospital, Kingman Regional Medical Center, offers the worst care! Nursing care, emergency room care, surgical care is pitiful! Hospital is poorly managed. Housing is a joke. Old, worn out, out-dated housing. No shopping mall. One walmart. Windy all the time. Homeless walking the street all over. People wear guns on their hips! This is no place to raise a family. School system is terrible with drugs being rapant in the high school. Crime is very high. I agree...Kingman is a nice place to VISIT...close to Grand Canyon, Vegas, and the climate is nice....but it is NO PLACE TO LIVE!!